Machine for filling pill-boxes with a regular quantity of pills



R. s. MERCER. MACHINE FOR F|LLING P|LL BOXES WITH A REGULAR QUANTITY OF,PILLS.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG-27, 1920.

1 ,400,304;, Patented D60. 13, 1921.-

I z Z0 INVENTOR- 2 Ronni/145mm WM QWM M.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT SYDNEY MERCER, OF BLACKBURN, ENGLAND.

IIJIACIEIIINE FOR FILLING PILL-BOXES WITH A REGULAR QUANTITY OF PILLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

Application'filed August 27, 1920. Serial No. 406,471.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT SYDNEY MER- OER, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, and resident of Blackburn, in the county of Lancaster,England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Filling Pill-Boxes with a Regular Quantity of Pills, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for delivering regular quantities ofarticles that are practically uniform in shape and size and is primarilyintended for filling pill boxes, or othe receptacles with pills or otherlike articles, in measured numbers.

The apparatus comprises a tube having an internal bore slightly largerthan the article, hereinafter referred to as pill, that it is intendedto deliver. This tube is connected at its upper end with a hopper whichkeeps the tube filled with pills and its lower end is normally closed bya cut-off which operates in conjunction with a second cut-off situatedat some intermediate portion of the tube, the arrangement being suchthat when the lower cut-ofi' is displaced to open the lower end of thetube and allow the measured quantity of pills to fall, the upper cutoffis actuated to prevent the pills situated above the measured quantityfrom falling. When the lower cut-off is released a spring returns it toits closed position and simultaneously actuates the upper cut off toallow the pills in the tube to fall until the latter is again full; Thelower cut-off may be actuated by pressing an open pill box or otherreceptacle against it so that the pills will fall directly into the boxas the cut-off is opened.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a planof a form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

A indicates the tube, B the pills, C the hopper, D the lower cut-off andE the upper cut-off.

In the example shown the tube A Which may be constructed of glass, orother suitable material is attached by clips at to an upright frame Fand such tube is made in two portions separated from one another by aslight space a the lower portion being sufficiently long to contain themeasured number of pills, (eight in the example shown). The lowercut-ofi D comprises a plate G which is clamped by screws 9 to a rod thatis rotatably mounted in bearings attached to the frame F. The cut-off Dis free to move within limits which are regulated by a stop d and aportion f of the frame F. When the cut-off is bearing against the stop dit is crossing the end of the tube A and when moved into the portion fit leaves the end of the tube clear. The upper cut-off E comprises aresilient arm that is clamped to the rod 9 by a screw 6 and occupies aposition at the point of separation of the two portions of the tube.This arm is normally retained away from the tube by a spring 6 acting onan arm 6 and such spring normally holds the cut-off D in a position tocross the lower end of the tube. In this position the tube is full ofpills provided that the hopper C has been previously supplied. When apill box is placed opposite the tube A and pressed against the cut-off Dit displaces the latter and occupies a posi tion underneath the tube.Simultaneously with this operation the arm E is moved toward the tubeuntil it presses aginst the pill that happens to lie in the space a andholds such pill, the pills below it falling into the pill box.Immediately the latter is removed the spring 6 returns the parts totheir normal positions with the result that the pills previously held upby the upper cut-off, fall and the tube A again becomes filled, readyfor the next measuring operation. If it is desired to vary the number ofpills measured, a longer or shorter tube portion may be substituted forthe one previously in use and the positions of the cutoffs be regulatedaccordingly. If a single standard measure is required, the tube A may beconstructed in one piece and have a slot at one side to receive the armE. Instead of a resilient arm gripping a pill, a rigid arm may passbetween two pills to perform the holding operation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. Apparatus for delivering regular quantities of articles,comprising a tube having an upper portion and a lower portion separatedfrom one another by a small space, a receptacle for supplying suchportions with the articles, a frame for carrying the tube andreceptacle, a rod rotatably mounted in bearings on such frame, an uppercut-off comprising an arm fixed on the rod and adapted to be interposedbetween the two portions of the tube, a lower cut-ofl comprising a platefixed on the rod and ar-' ranged t be moved across the lower end or thetube, means for l'imi ting'the movement of the plate in either directionand a spring for normally causing the plate to lie across the lower endof the tube and the upper arm to lie away from the tube.

2. Apparatus for delivering regular quantities of articles, comprising atube having an upper portion and a lower interchangeable portionseparated from one another by a small space, areceptacle for supplyingsuch portions with the articles, a frame for carry ingthe tube andreceptacle, a rod rotatably mounted in bearings on such frame, an uppercut-ofi comprising a resilient arm adjust-ably mounted on the rod andadapted to be interposed between the two portions of the tube, a lowercut ofi" comprising a plate adj ustably mounted on the rod and arrangedto move across the lower end of the tube, means for limiting themovement of the plate in either direction and a spring for normallycausing the plate to lie across the lower end of the tube and the upperarm to lie away from the tube.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

" ROBERT SYDNEY MERGER lVitnessesr JOHN Y HAYHURST, WILLIAM WIGN-ALL.

